Different Effect of the Additional Electron-Withdrawing Cyano Group in Different Conjugation Bridge: The Adjusted Molecular Energy Levels and Largely Improved Photovoltaic Performance

Enhanced performance of hydroxyl and cyano group functionalized graphitic carbon nitride for efficient removal of crystal violet and methylene blue from wastewater

This work reports the synthesis of an innovative multifunctional carbon nitride based adsorbent and its successful application for the removal of crystal violet (CV) and methylene blue (MB) from wastewater. The functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (f/g-CN) adsorbent was produced by the pyrolysis of melamine followed by thermal alkali treatment to introduce OH, NH x , and CN groups onto the graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) surface. Experimental data obtained from batch tests revealed that the maximum adsorption capacities of g-CN and f/g-CN were found to be 28.9 and 239.0 mg g-1 for MB, and 163.0 and 532.0 mg g-1 for CV, respectively, at pH 8, 25 °C and after 90 min. This increase in adsorption capacity of f/g-CN can be explained by the presence of multiple functional groups in its structure. f/g-CN showed 100% removal for MB and CV with concentrations lower than 100 ppm and the equilibrium time required for the 100% removal of 500 ppb dye is 60 seconds. Additionally, the experimental data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model (R 2 = 0.992) and pseudo second order kinetic model (R 2 = 0.999) suggesting that the mechanism of adsorption is based on π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions between the NH x and OH groups of f/g-CN and dye molecules with monolayer formation. Moreover, a reusability test showed that the adsorption capacity remained at around 90% after 7 cycles. This work highlights the merits of the prepared adsorbent f/g-CN which is an eco-friendly, stable, efficient, and reusable adsorbent for removing cationic dyes from wastewater.

Single-molecule nano-optoelectronics: insights from physics

Single-molecule optoelectronic devices promise a potential solution for miniaturization and functionalization of silicon-based microelectronic circuits in the future. For decades of its fast development, this field has made significant progress in the synthesis of optoelectronic materials, the fabrication of single-molecule devices and the realization of optoelectronic functions. On the other hand, single-molecule optoelectronic devices offer a reliable platform to investigate the intrinsic physical phenomena and regulation rules of matters at the single-molecule level. To further realize and regulate the optoelectronic functions toward practical applications, it is necessary to clarify the intrinsic physical mechanisms of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. Here, we provide a timely review to survey the physical phenomena and laws involved in single-molecule optoelectronic materials and devices, including charge effects, spin effects, exciton effects, vibronic effects, structural and orbital effects. In particular, we will systematically summarize the basics of molecular optoelectronic materials, and the physical effects and manipulations of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. In addition, fundamentals of single-molecule electronics, which are basic of single-molecule optoelectronics, can also be found in this review. At last, we tend to focus the discussion on the opportunities and challenges arising in the field of single-molecule optoelectronics, and propose further potential breakthroughs.

Effects of interfacial adsorption configurations on dye-sensitized solar cell performance at the stoichiometric and defective TiO2 anatase (101) surfaces: a theoretical investigation

Interfacial adsorption configuration plays a crucial role in influencing the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and thus, theoretical investigations are needed to further understand the impacts of different absorption configurations on stoichiometric and defective TiO2(101) surfaces on the short-circuit photocurrent density (JSC) and open-circuit voltage (VOC) of DSSCs. Herein, calculations of isolated dyes and dye/TiO2 systems were performed on the donor-π bridge-acceptor (D-π-A) type porphyrin sensitizers bearing different donor moieties and an α-cyanoacrylic acid anchoring group (T1-3), using DFT and TD-DFT methods. And, for the first time, comparative analysis of interfacial electron transfer (IET) and density of states (DOS) were carried out on dye/TiO2 systems with stoichiometric and defective surfaces to provide further insight into the electronic factors influencing the efficiency of DSSCs, which can well explain the experimental variation trends of JSC and VOC values. It turned out that attachment via the carboxyl and cynao groups in a tridentate binding mode can result in more efficient IET rates and an upshifted conduction band in comparison with those of the bidentate attachment. More interestingly, we found that the adsorption configuration on defective surfaces containing an O2c vacancy induced more upshifted CBM and relatively fast IET, especially for the bonding mode through two O atoms of the carboxyl group.

Modulation of Acceptor Position in Organic Sensitizers: The Optimization of Intramolecular and Interfacial Charge Transfer Processes

With respect to cyanoacryclic acid as the traditional acceptor and anchoring group in dye-sensitized solar cells, the introduction of stronger electron-deficient groups has greatly expanded the scope of molecular design and increased their efficiencies for organic dyes. In this contribution, benzothiadiazole (BTD) was selected as a representative acceptor to illustrate the influence of its position on the photophysical properties and corresponding photovoltaic performances. Through the insertion of BTD in different positions of the framework with the same composition units and orders, four sensitizers were designed and synthesized. The structure-property relationship demonstrated the preference of the suitable position of an electron acceptor for optimization of the spectra response and interfacial charge transfer. In our system, dye LI-96 with BTD in the middle of the conjugated bridge showed the broadest spectrum and achieved the best photovoltaic performance (8.25%), which may pave a new way to design or optimize the efficient sensitizers by rational design of the acceptor position.

Organic Sensitizers with Extended Conjugation Frameworks as Cosensitizers of Porphyrins for Developing Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Relatively high efficiencies have been achieved for porphyrin-based dye-sensitized solar cells. For the purpose of designing efficient cosensitizers, we herein report systematically optimized dyes XC1-XC5 employing a triphenylamine donor, a benzothiadiazole moiety as the auxiliary acceptor, and a benzoic acid acceptor. One hexyl and four hexyloxy groups were introduced, and an ethynylene moiety was introduced between the donor and the auxiliary acceptor to afford XC1. To further extend the absorption wavelength, a second ethynylene moiety was introduced between the acceptor and the auxiliary acceptor to afford XC2. XC3 and XC4 were designed by introducing one and two methyl substituents, respectively, into the meta-positions of the anchoring carboxyl group. XC5 was further synthesized by inserting a cyano substituent into one of the ortho-positions of the carboxyl group with the purpose to strengthen the intramolecular charge-transfer effect and thus broaden the absorption wavelength. As expected, compared with the J_sc (14.29 mA·cm^-2) of XC1, the corresponding J_sc values for XC2-XC5 were enhanced to 16.50, 16.95, 16.73, and 17.74 mA·cm^-2, respectively. Moreover, XC4 exhibits the highest V_oc of 770 mV owing to the presence of a maximum of seven chains, which can effectively suppress dye aggregation. As a result, compared with XC1, XC2-XC5 exhibit improved efficiencies of 8.67, 9.05, 8.78, and 9.30%, respectively. In addition, the efficiencies of XC3 and XC5 were further enhanced by cosensitizing them with our previously reported porphyrin dye XW28 under various conditions. Finally, a remarkable efficiency of 10.50% was achieved for the cells cosensitized with XC5 and XW28. These results indicate that the combination of good planarity of the extended D-π-A framework with multiple alkoxy/alkyl chains may compose an effective optimizing strategy for designing and synthesizing excellent cosensitizers for porphyrins.

Effects of the terminal donor unit in dyes with D-D-π-A architecture on the regeneration mechanism in DSSCs: a computational study

This theoretical study on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) includes design strategies for dye donor units to improve the efficiency of DSSCs, and further illuminates the organic dye regeneration mechanism. We have designed a series of new organic sensitizers based on a D-D-π-A architecture to exhibit easy electron transfer and to have remarkable light harvesting properties in the visible region by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD)-DFT calculations. Furthermore, the interaction of the organic sensitizers with the conventional redox electrolyte using the triiodide/iodide couple (I3-/I-) is investigated. Our calculations indicate that incorporation of strong electron-donating groups remarkably improves the charge transfer characteristics, optoelectronic properties and rapid dye regeneration as compared to less electron donating substituents. In addition, our study demonstrates the possibility of second electron injection from the oxidized dye complex to the semiconductor surface, which further confirms our recently proposed dye regeneration mechanism.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld analysis of 2-(5-bromo-thio-phen-2-yl)aceto-nitrile

The title compound, C6H4BrNS, crystallizes in the space group P21/n with one complete mol-ecule in the asymmetric unit. The non-H atoms are nearly planar (r.m.s for non-H atoms = 0.071 Å), with the nitrile group oriented anti-periplanar with respect to the thio-phene S atom. Inter-molecular Type I centrosymmetric Br⋯Br halogen inter-actions are present at a distance of 3.582 (1) Å and with a C-Br⋯Br angle of 140.7 (1)°. Additional weaker C-H⋯N, C-H⋯S, and S⋯π inter-actions are also present. A Hirshfeld analysis indicates Br⋯Br inter-actions comprise only 1.9% of all the inter-atomic contacts.

Effect on absorption and electron transfer by using Cd(ii) or Cu(ii) complexes with phenanthroline as auxiliary electron acceptors (A) in D–A–π–A motif sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells

Four new polymeric metal complex dyes (PBDTT-PhenCd, PBDTT-PhenCu, PPV-PhenCd and PPV-PhenCu) with donor–acceptor–π-bridge-acceptor (D–A–π–A) structure were designed and synthesized.